Faith isn’t predicated on religion but on whether our actions have meaning. Whether through science or religion, aren’t they both trying to understand why we exist?

~Belenus, the Sun God

Crow woke up a few hours later. Hooligan had curled against him and could only shake his head. They were lying in front of a Shrine, and she didn’t take any other precautions besides a few runes.

Ignoring the Shrine, he tucked a pillow under Hooligan’s head and moved away from her while cultivating. His Body devoured the Fire Mana in copious amounts, but looking internally, he saw that half of it was going toward his heavenly flame.

It divided the rest between his Druid cultivation and the Body method Song Lin taught him. Based on his Druid method, the mana rushed into him through every part of his flesh. Song Lin’s method involved actively inhaling the mana and running it through his chakras before reaching his Source.

The difference was more profound but wasn’t something he immediately recognized because he wasn’t powerful enough to sense the more intricate details. Martial cultivators focused on refining their Body, but that didn’t mean that was the only aspect of their Souls that was improved upon. The breathing technique focused on refining spirit, and the Qi Gong practice helped refine the Mind. However, its dominance lay in improving the Body.

Druids had a more significant focus on Mind and consciousness but were more balanced than most methods he’d studied. Crow even suspected that their current method was a poor version of the original. He thought that because of the Triquetra, a holy symbol of their people that was also known as the Trinity Knot. Like all knots, the symbol itself had no beginning or end, but it was like three ovals interlinked, and in the center of it was an area where all three overlapped.

Druids had a healthy respect for things that arrived in threes. Like the Awen, the Trinity Knot also had a similar meaning. Still, Crow felt the Triquetra represented the Soul more accurately because it was the union of Mind, Body, and Spirit. That union was the middle section of the Trinity Knot—the Soul.

If cultivators defied the Heavens by improving their Souls, then he felt it was foolish not to strengthen all aspects of it. The moment he thought that he dismissed his disdainful attitude because Crow knew he was falling into a trap of his own making. Every cultivator fought their own battles, and there were many ways to reach immortality.

“What are you doing?” Hooligan asked because Crow had remained unmoving in an uncomfortable pose, and she knew something distracted him because he hadn’t even noticed her.

“What do you think Spirit really is?” Crow’s eyes focused on her; the question wasn’t what she expected. “We understand Body is the vessel which gives us permanence in this universe. Mind is our consciousness and memories, things that give our life meaning or purpose. I’ve been rethinking my thoughts on Spirit because of a new cultivation method I have and find myself questioning the foundation of Spirit. I mean, what is its purpose within the existence of our Soul?”

“Are you trying to convince me to take up being a priest again?”

Crow laughed and shook his head. “I’m asking seriously. In your opinion, what would you liken it to?”

“The Truths.”

“Huh?”

“You described the Body as a physical representation of self, and our Mind is our identity, right? Then Spirit is our connection to all things, and what defines reality? Gods? Heavens?” Hooligan shook her head. “My father says our Spirit is about connecting ourselves to the world around us. And the only way to do that is by understanding the Truths. Mr. Druid, isn’t that what your people do?”

“You sure you don’t want to become a nun?”

“Want me to punch you in the face?”

“Hooligan,” Crow laughed.

“Let’s talk about you being an actual crow.”

“You already know I’m a Druid. Is it really that surprising?”

“That ability is only mentioned among legends. As far as I know, only Beastlords can manage that, but they literally become part beast to accomplish it.”

“What I did isn’t the original Druid spell. I modified it. The two methods have downsides, but my version is much more versatile.”

Crow explained how the original worked and how the Beast Cores played a part. Then worked through the differences between the two and their benefits and detriments.

“So your method allows you to absorb many types of beast cores?”

“Yes. I gain versatility at the cost of losing out on sizeable gains to my Body. I’ll teach you when we meet in the upper realm—if you want to learn it.”

“Really?” Hooligan knew why he wanted to wait and felt herself growing more attached because of his consideration. Even she knew Druids were still hunted, and the transformation ability was a signature spell of theirs. Even if it was considered a myth—it was no secret which power used that type of ability. “Wait… how can you use that ability in this place?”

“I think it’s because the beast core made it a physical ability, like your Gravity Marrow. I can’t use the other skills I created with the transformation.”

“That’s great to know!”

“Well, want to do the challenge and head back and rest?”

“First, I want to test something. If you are right, and Spirit is about the Truths, I may have a way to test my own Spirituality. Call it curiosity,” Crow said and walked toward the lava lake.

*Lily, you there?*

*I am… you aren’t about to do anything stupid, right?*

*Why so much hate? *

*What are you planning?*

Crow smiled and placed his hand near the lava, letting it enter his Soulverse. He sent it over in big clumps, like a snake trying to swallow a nest of mice.

Using his consciousness, he slowly manipulated the lava inside his Soulverse. Crow turned it into a fiery sphere that he moved closer and closer to a branch of the massive Fireheart Oak.

*Are you insane!?* Lily nearly exploded.

*Calm down. It won’t hurt the tree. This is normal magma, while a heavenly flame tempered that thing. No way can this harm the oak tree.*

Lily calmed down after that. Crow wasn’t wrong; now, she was curious about what he was up to. So she flew around him while he worked. His mortal shell was still pumping lava into the sphere while his consciousness moved it about as if seeking something.

She didn’t interrupt him because she knew his Mind was singularly focused on his task when he was like this. While it was powerful enough to handle distractions, Lily still felt it was rude to interfere with his process. Afterward, she didn’t mind asking him what—

*Maiden’s chastity! What are you doing?*

*Maiden’s chastity?* Crow usually wouldn’t get distracted, but he’d never heard that curse before. It wasn’t enough to break his concentration, but it did get his attention.

*The Trinity Knot also represents the three stages of a woman: The Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. Respectively, they also have associated curses: Maiden’s Chastity, Barren Mother, and Crone’s Saggy Tits.*

*Did you just make all that up?* Crow chuckled.

*I’m not as shameless as you, jerk. Now, what are you doing?*

*Look!* Crow’s insistence caused Lily to stare at the globe of lava, and her curiosity turned into shock. A sliver of wood came down from the branch and encapsulated the fiery ball of lava until it was caught inside a budding acorn. Just like that, Crow formed another potential world, one of fire and chaos. It was as beautiful as it was frightening, and Lily felt a sense of awe toward Crow for the first time. Genuine awe, not shock—she’d always admired him, but now he had jumbled her emotions once more.

It was as if she was witnessing the birth of a world—no. She was seeing the birth of one before her very eyes. The person who created this miracle was the man beside her, and she could help but feel a bit of pride. This was the man she’d chosen to follow, and he created a world with the wave of his hand. Instead of being arrogant or boastful, he was laughing like a child.

Even after the acorn formed, Crow kept feeding lava into it until some instinct told him he had to stop.

*Keep an eye on that for any changes. Since this is a success, I have another idea, but I want to confirm that there is nothing wrong.*

*There is nothing wrong. Now that it’s encapsulated by… the World Tree—oh, my. It really is a World Tree.* Lily thought so lightly that Crow almost missed it. *A World Tree was always part of our teachings, but most fae never believed it was real. What the hell is happening?*

*World Tree? Isn’t that what Yggdrasil means?*

*It does. We were taught or led to believe that the energy river below is Yggdrasil, but… what if we were wrong? What if this tree is the real World Tree?*

*I’m not sure you have to separate the two. The tree thrives at the grace of the energy it’s rooted in. They are connected. Don’t the histories mention that the World Tree was destroyed by Nidhogg?*

*That isn’t exactly right. Nidhogg somehow found this place, the Yggdrasil stream you see below. He never saw an actual World Tree. For that, he was punished and forced to become a guardian like Mugna. He is Acco’s protector and taught his people to teleport.*

Crow nodded but didn’t know what else to say. However, he remembered a particular auction recently. *Could those slivers of wood at the auction house really be fragments of the previous World Tree? Even if Nidhogg didn’t destroy it, an agent of chaos would have considered the World Tree’s destruction as a major coup.*

*Those weren’t, but… I’m not sure. We don’t know enough, so this is pointless, but I’m positive this Fireheart Oak is a World Tree. There are literally worlds growing from it, and the old stories talked about people walking the branches of the World Tree to reach other worlds.*

*What happens to this place if I die?* Crow asked.

*Nothing. In theory, you are the owner, or maybe Mugna is. Either way, you don’t have the strength to be its true master. Your death might slow down its growth, but that’s about it.*

*Growth? Because I created and linked worlds to it?* This was his test of Spirit, and he had felt something. A connection to something bigger than himself but so mysterious and ambiguous that he couldn’t put it into words. Or maybe calling it Faith was apt. Grasping at something beyond mortal comprehension and taking it as the reason for existence.

*Yes. Now get back to Hooligan. She’s been standing behind you anxiously for a while now, and you haven’t moved.*

Crow’s eyes regained focus and saw his little Death Rabbit glaring at him. He chuckled while rubbing her head, but She slapped his hand away. Still, she felt warm at his affection.

“Sweetie…” Hooligan asked. “Where did all that lava go?”

It was only then that Crow noticed the lava lake had noticeably receded. The lake had shrunk about ten centimeters, which didn’t seem like a lot until one considered the size of the lava lake. Not to mention it wasn’t like water.